Choose New Jersey, in partnership with the New Jersey-Israel Commission, has created a collaboration between Tnuva, one of the world’s largest food manufacturers and a global supplier of kosher products, and the Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University, it was announced this week.
Tnuva, which makes its U.S. headquarters in Lincoln Park, will work with the Food Innovation Center on some research & development projects.
“Tnuva is sharing with FIC some of its R&D projects and together exploring where and how FIC can support Tnuva’s R&D department based on FIC team knowledge, experience and food-tech capabilities,” Tnuva USA CEO Yoram Behiri said.
“Tnuva is known as a pioneer in research & development and world leader in kosher food manufacturing. We are excited for this innovative partnership between the Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University and Tnuva, and we look forward to seeing the results this collaboration will produce.”
The collaboration can be attributed to Choose New Jersey’s economic mission trip to Israel in February 2020. During the four-day trip, the Choose New Jersey delegation visited the Tnuva headquarters, where it met with key industry leaders and community stakeholders to promote New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem.
Choose CEO Jose Lozano said he felt the group demonstrated how New Jersey is a great place for the international community to do business.
“When Choose New Jersey embarked on an economic mission trip to Israel nearly one year ago, our goal was to strengthen economic and cultural ties with one of our longtime allies,” he said. “We are excited to continue to see results from our trip to Israel with the announcement of a collaboration between Tnuva and the Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University.
“This partnership is just another example of how New Jersey is the best place to do business and showcases how we are seeing global interest in our state’s thriving innovation ecosystem.”
The Food Innovation Center is a unique food business incubator and accelerator that supports established entrepreneurs and food companies recognize their goals from concept to commercialization. As part of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, the Food Innovation Center combines its experience and advanced technology to provide businesses with the tools that they need to help run successful businesses, as well as promote growth.
Acting Director Nolan Lewis said he looks forward to the collaboration.
“The Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University is dedicated to helping give entrepreneurs and existing food companies the tools and resources they need to succeed,” he said.
New Jersey is home to the fourth-largest Israel-born population and the fourth-largest population of Israeli ancestry in the United States.
The New Jersey-Israel Commission was created in in 1989 to promote cultural and educational exchanges and to encourage capital investment and joint business ventures.
Its chairman, Mark Levenson, said he was glad to see the relationship make a difference in a difficult year.
“In a year filled with such uncertainty, it is encouraging to see that our February 2020 economic mission trip continues to produce real results for the state of New Jersey,” he said. “As we look toward rebuilding and recovering in the months ahead, I look forward to seeing how this collaboration will benefit the New Jersey economy moving forward.”
Andrew Gross, the executive director, agreed.
“I am so proud that one of Israel’s most iconic and historic brands, Tnuva, continues to proudly call New Jersey their home in the United States,” he said. “This strategic decision to locate to the Garden State many years ago is paying off again today and reminds us that New Jersey’s relationship with Israel is driving opportunity and innovation on both sides of the Atlantic. I welcome this important partnership.”
